What’s Cooking with Kitchen Remodeling? Part 2: Materials & Finishes

If you’re considering remodeling your kitchen, you have two key choices in materials and finishes that should be about more than style. Your floors and countertops take the biggest beating from busy feet and hands, so choose wisely.

Flooring:
Wood still reigns supreme for upscale kitchens. Improved sealers and ecologically friendly options like bamboo can offer easy-to-clean, easy-on-the-feet beauty. But they do require regular maintenance to remain in tip-top shape.

If you love the look of wood but your kids treat the floor as their personal game room, today’s laminates are a great choice. They can look like wood or stone, be smooth or textured and come in a variety of colors. Their big selling point is that maintenance and upkeep are minimal.

Stone and tile are less popular for floors in our neck of the woods but offer amazing style. Concrete that’s been stained, polished and/or textured is another dramatic option. All are easy to clean (watch out for lots of grouting though) and stone/concrete may need regular sealing. There are, however, two big drawbacks for these hard surfaces: they’re cold (underfloor heating can fix that) and hard to stand on for long periods.

Today’s vinyls and linoleums have vastly improved, are easy on the feet, durable, and might be a good choice for those on a budget.

Countertops:
Granite is still homeowners’ countertop of choice. They’re a great surface for most families, but spills need to be wiped up quickly and generally an annual re-seal is recommended. Quartz can offer a huge variety of granite-like and other looks. Manufactured using crushed stone blended with resin, these non-porous surfaces don’t need sealing.

You still find families choosing laminates (both easy to clean and easy on your budget) in lots of new patterns and colors, especially popular for today’s mid-century modern look. Wood (butcherblock) looks great and is good for most food prep but needs regular upkeep.

Glass or concrete can become signature looks in your kitchen, but make sure to review cleaning and upkeep recommendations before you choose them. You can even find some delightful recycled choices that use sustainable and re-used materials. And if your family’s health requires hypo-allergenic, stainless steel is still your best choice.

If you’d like to learn more about remodeling your kitchen (or any other part of your home) or you’re ready to customize a new build, visit our website at Destiny-Homes.com or call me at 763-772-7025. Our team of experts will deliver your very own masterpiece on budget, on time and stress-free from the first conversation through construction and beyond. Next month: Kitchens part 3: Trending Style.